Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark '''is a Constitutional Monarchy located in Northern Europe. Denmark is the Southernmost Scandinavian country, and borders the North German Federation, and the Kingdom of Sweden. The country's mainland is characterised by low lying flatlands with sandy coasts. Denmark's largest city is the capital, '''Copenhagen, which features some of the highest infrastructural developments in the European region. History: Early History & The Kalmar Union: From the 8th to the 10th century, the Danes were known as Vikings. They colonised, raided, and traded in all parts of Europe. Starting in 1397, Denmark entered into a personal union with Norway and Sweden, united under Queen Margaret I. The this personal union, the Kalmar Union, was characterized predominantly by Danish dominance of the Nordic region. Throughout the union Denmark was consider the political and diplomatic hub of the union, while to the Swedish subjugates dismay, as Sweden often attempted revolt and to break away for the union, often to only be reconquered by their Nordic counterparts. Eventually, in 1523 Sweden's struggle to break from the Kalmar Union was successful, leaving Denmark only in a personal union with Norway. Denmark-Norway: Following the dissolution of the Kalmar Union, a bitter rivalry and constant tension was commonplace between Denmark and Sweden. Both kingdoms sought dominance in the region, and over their Norwegian brethren. Denmark tried on several occasions to reassert control over its neighbour. King Christian IV attacked Sweden in the 1611–1613 Kalmar War but failed to accomplish his main objective of forcing it to return to the union. The war led to no territorial changes, but Sweden was forced to pay a war indemnity of 1 million silver riksdaler to Denmark. In the Thirty Years' War, Christian tried to become the leader of the Lutheran states in Germany but suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Lutter.[ The result was that the Catholic army under Albrecht von Wallenstein was able to invade, occupy, and pillage Jutland, forcing Denmark to withdraw from the war. Denmark managed to avoid territorial concessions, but King Gustavus Adolphus' intervention in Germany was seen as a sign that the military power of Sweden was on the rise while Denmark's influence in the region was declining. In 1643, Swedish armies invaded Jutland and claimed Scania in 1644. In the 1645 Treaty of Brømsebro, Denmark surrendered Halland, Gotland, the last parts of Danish Estonia, and several provinces in Norway. In 1657, King Frederick III declared war on Sweden and marched on Bremen-Verden. This led to a massive Danish defeat and the armies of King Charles X Gustav of Sweden conquered both Jutland, Funen, and much of Zealand before signing the Peace of Roskilde in February 1658 which gave Sweden control of Scania, Blekinge, Trøndelag, and the island of Bornholm. Charles X Gustav quickly regretted not having destroyed Denmark completely and in August 1658 he began a two-year-long siege of Copenhagen but failed to take the capital. In the following peace settlement, Denmark managed to maintain its independence and regain control of Trøndelag and Bornholm. Denmark tried to regain control of Scania in the Scanian War(1675-1679) but it ended in failure. Following the Great Northern War (1700–21), Denmark managed to restore control of the parts of Schleswig and Holstein ruled by the house of Holstein-Gottorp in 1721 and 1773, respectively. Denmark prospered greatly in the last decades of the eighteenth century due to its neutral status allowing it to trade with both sides in the many contemporary wars. Following the British attacked Copenhagen in both 1801 and 1807, in one case carrying off the Danish fleet, in the other, burning large parts of the Danish capital, Denmark joined the side of France in the Napoleonic Wars. Britain saw Denmark's fleet as potentially threatening and Denmark's trade with France as an act of aggression. As a result of the defeat in the Napoleonic Wars, in the Treaty of Kiel, Norway was to be forced into a union with Sweden, and to be broken from Denmark's personal union, thus leaving the Kingdom of Denmark with only it's Germanic and Norwegian colonial possessions. Later History & Restoration: Following the loss of Norway, Denmark declined severely in the region, and thus had lost most of its influence that it had held for hundreds of years. Though, as the industrialisation was beginning in Europe, this time lead to the slow, but prosperous growth of Denmark's economy. Though with the age new political ideologies and movements would shape Denmark's political landscape forever, as nascent Danish liberal and national movement gained momentum in the 1830s; after the European Revolutions of 1848, Denmark peacefully became a constitutional monarchy on 5 June 1849. A two-chamber parliament was established. As a result of Danish nationalism, constitutionalism, and industrialisation a new era begin to take form in Denmark. Rapid infrastructural and industrial developments took place with a now healthy growing economy. Ideas of expansionism and unification with their Scandinavian brethren were beginning to emerge, and a new form of Scandinavian Pan-nationalism became popularised. Growing and healthy relations with Sweden and it's much liked King to the Danes led to discussion of union, as the idea of Pan-nationalism had further spread throughout the Nordic region, and the monarchs of the nations appeared pleased with the idea of a stronger and more centralised Scandinavia. The Kingdom of Scandinavia: As a result of Scandinavian Pan-nationalism and a need to compete with growing powers in the region, the monarchs of Denmark and Sweden set aside their nation's long and bitter rivalry to form a personal union, the new political entity of '''The Kingdom of Scandinavia. '''During the early years of the union scandinavia quickly consolidated to form, namely a nation of Scandinavia's, rather than danes, Norwegians, and Swedish. However, the Pan-Nationalist movement that had brought forth the union had not reached its peak, as the people of Scandinavia, as well as the Monarchy were taking in new ideas of further unification, coinciding with their nation's newly found economic and diplomatic power. This movement further spawned the idea of not only a unified Scandinavian people, but also the lost possession of Finland and areas inhabited by Sammi peoples. With this, nation focus was directed towards the East, particularly at Russia. With the ''"Pan-Nordic Movement" ''taking ground and strong effect in Finland as well, there was much dismay to Russian administration in Finland. With already weak Russian leadership and administration at the time, Finland and the Scandinavian kingdom announced their union without much backlash from the already struggling Russia. The Nordic Empire: With Finland now added into the unified Nordic nation, the Pan-Nordics and the Scandinavian Monarchy was pleased to announce its newly formed ''"Nordic Empire". ''With the movement still strong and geared towards expansionism, the Nordic Empire looked to expanding further in Africa and Asia for the riches and Glory of their Fatherland. Nordic Imperialism led to much expansion into the Gold Coast, Tanzania, Somalia, Taiwan, and Siam. Furthermore, also the expansion into Russian Kola and Karelia. Desire for all of FennoScandia was high among the Nordic Empire, the nation sought extend their empire into the region, even willing to go to war to attain the lands. Deals with Russia to buy the land were negotiated, though Russia's newly crowned Tsar wasn't eager to sell his lands away. After bitter negotiation, even with threats of war, Russia and the Nordic Empire agreed to a deal to give the Nordic Empire its desired lands in exchange for a sizable amount of land North of the Russian capital, St.Petersburg. With the Nordic Empire's expansions into all of FennoScandia and bits of North Germany, including Mecklenburg most prominently, the Nordic movement of nationalism was now slowly beginning to subside, though still the nation having much patriotism and loyalty from its populous. Nordic Imperialism continued in Africa and as well as with the protectorate of Hispaniola, however, the nation was heading into a slow decline. With the Pan-national movement gone, and Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian nationalism beginning to take root again, the Empire began to experience turmoil amongst its differing peoples. With this turmoil, Nordic Imperialism effectively was halted, and questions of dissolution were being brought forth. With much inner tension, the term that the Union may expire in an upcoming year was reminded as per the term of the original agreement between Denmark and Sweden. With the expiration date upcoming, only with renew if desired, the populous somewhat peacefully agreed to divide the empire amongst Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, to only the Monarchs dismay however, having the populous being electric with the decision to restore the nations belonging to their own ethnicities. The Kingdom of Denmark Restored: In 1873 the Nordic Empire was formally dissolved and the lands divided amongst the three Scandinavian nations of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. An alliance was soon after proposed and a vassalship over Norway and Sweden controlled by Denmark in place, becoming the Nordic Federation. Following the dissolution, Denmark has slowly been transitioning back to its lower economy and less powerful dominance. Still keeping much of what it expanded to during the Nordic height, though not the imperialistic nation it was under the wave of Pan-nationalism. Following the age of Nordic expansionism, has now brought forth a new age of liberalism and Anti-militaristic sentiment to Denmark. Category:Nations Category:Europe Category:Monarchy Category:Protestant Category:Colonial Powers Category:1850s Map